Emerging Non‐Destructive Technologies for the Quality Evaluation of Chilies ( Capsicum ): A Review of Current Trends and Future Perspectives

ABSTRACT Chilies are globally valued for their rich nutrient content and taste, which determine consumer acceptance and market value. Pungency, or commonly referred to as spiciness, which is driven by capsaicin concentration, is a critical sensory attribute alongside color and freshness. This review outlines conventional approaches for evaluating the internal and external quality of chilies, which remain widely used but are often destructive, labour‐intensive, and limited in scalability. Chemometric and data mining methods are discussed as essential tools for extracting meaningful patterns and improving predictive accuracy. Given the growing demand for rapid, objective, and scalable quality assessment, non‐destructive technologies are reviewed because it enables repeated, reliable measurements without damaging the samples, reducing uncertainty, and supporting sustainable quality monitoring. Spectroscopy‐based, imaging‐based, and sensing‐based technologies are highlighted as reliable alternatives, with comparative insights showing differences in speed, resolution, and application scope. The key challenges, including complex data handling, environmental sensitivity, calibration requirements, portability limitations, and sensor drift, are discussed alongside future trends such as artificial intelligence, high performance computing, and Internet of Things to enhance real‐time monitoring and decision‐making toward smart, sustainable quality evaluation systems.